Domesticali

Monkeying around

Just an hour taken out of this weekend to mooch round Albert Park,


pet the doggies who are out walking, scuffle through a few leaves


and explore the monuments.


Just to be peaceful and breathe. It did us all good.

This evening Mark and I are off to Dinosaur School. I think its a dressed up group therapy programme, to help kids understand their feelings and promote social competence. Oh, and a parenting course, which I am looking forward to about as much as a trip to the dentist. But trying to be all "rah rah isn't this fun" for Mark's benefit. Does anyone know of a big rock I could just go and hide under?

Deal

The agreement today - I get to finish sewing my second attempt at the Lotta Jansdotter Everyday Tote. Hubby gets to watch the Rugby in peace. Seemed fair to me.

This iteration is in the most gorgeous drapey wool - I had to interface the hell out of it to make it bag-proof. And the sew in interfacing didn't work at all - the wool pulled horribly and stretched when I tried it, so it was back to iron-on.

Having learned from the shortcomings of the last one, I put a piece of pelmet interfacing in the bag bottom and added a magnetic snap.

We'll see how it holds up on the first test-drive. I never can tell with a new bag until I've taken it out on the road.

Now I heard a muted cheer from the watchers downstairs, so I'm off to check the score.

The sountrack of my life

Someone has been eavesdropping at our house.




Busted!

Soothing food

Don't you just love it when friends choose you the absolute perfect treat. My chum had a grown up weekend in London and returned with Laduree macaroons for little me. I've lusted after them from afar, but never tasted one. Until now.



I am totally hooked. They were (note the past tense there) sublime.

So today makes up for a horrible day yesterday, when a man driving a great big Range Rover crashed into the side of my car and then zoomed away without stopping. I kid you not. Tosser. I keep thinking of my £125 excess bill - that would have bought me a whole lot of macaroons wouldn't it? Although I can't be too rude about him, because Johnny will shop me.

Hubby: 'What happened at pre-school today Johnny?'
Johnny (3): ' A bloo-dee man crashed into Mama's car'

Autumn bounty

We've got a little Autumn windowsill thing going on here this week. Conkers and leaves.

Michelle sent me a copy of Martha Stewart Holiday 'Halloween' and I've been wanting to try so many of the projects. I can't find her instructions for wax dipped leaves on-line to link to, but basically its melt wax in a double boiler, dip leaves, hang to dry.

They look pretty, but perhaps I should have cleaned my windows before I took the photo! The wax preserves the pretty colours of the leaves and stops them going dry and crinkly.

It's my 300th post today - that's a whole lot of nattering. Thanks for being with me through it all.

XYZ is for… The End

So my month with the Encyclopedia of me Meme is at an end. When I started, I was worried about taking on quite such a big commitment. Perhaps I should have trusted my instincts, because I have found the second part of the alphabet quite a slog to get through and I can't say I am sorry to have finished. I found that posting almost daily has taken away much of the true joy of blogging.

Simplesparrow said it so well recently in her advice to a new blogger "post when you feel inspired and let it come from your heart". I completely agree with her and I'm going to go back to doing just that.


It's a big week for us next week - back to school and preschool for the boys and the first stage in Mark's Aspergers assessment - speech and language. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it in equal measures. Have a really great weekend - I'm going to make an effort to truly live this one from the heart.

Autumn approaching

Not sure I feel quite ready yet for the arrival of Autumn/Winter catalogues through my door, but they're coming. Here are a few of my favourite bits from the Laura Ashley Home Autumn/Winter 2007.

Like these spotty chairs?

Perhaps with a doggy pillow. I'm always curious about handmade-looking mass produced items. They get me thinking chicken or egg type thoughts.

And then these amazing blinds - oh for the windows to carry them off.

In fact, I'm pretty keen on the whole charcoal/linen palette.

Perhaps we should just gloss over the summer (or lack of) and start looking forward to Autumn instead.

Summer, for one day only

A lovely parcel of buttons from Paper and String. And d'you see what it's sitting in. A patch of sunshine. Rare, and very welcome.

Prepare for take off

I managed to get one kiddy travel bag sewn up ready to go for this weekend (using the Lotta Jansdotter backpack pattern from Simple Sewing).

Mark is already plotting how many books he can stuff into it for the trip and is very pleased that I've embroidered the directions to the hotel onto the map.

I've been arming him with some handy French phrases, but he seemed a bit worried and eventually asked "Mummy, when it's just the four of us, would it be okay if we spoke some English?".

No child - it's French or silence - mwahahahaha.

Father’s Day Golf-fest

Hubby's idea of a treat is a round of golf, so we were happy to oblige for Father's Day. First, from Mark, who made him this at Beavers. Cunning mint/golf ball combination..... seems I'm not the only crafty one in this household!

And then a boys bonding session over crazy golf.

Happy Fathers Day - you're the best (even if you shouldn't be let loose to buy shorts without supervision)!

Sick computer

Hi! Thanks for all the good wishes about our grownups-only jaunt. Bath was great, but I came home to a very sick PC. Hubby is administering first aid (and a new hard drive) so hopefully I'll be up and about in blogland soon. Don't forget me will you?

Knitting… how hard can it be?

If you're a blogging knitter, I have probably left a comment on your site at some point to say something along the lines of "how lovely, so jealous that I can't knit".

Well the time has come to do something about it. I have to say, the thing that has spurred me into action is Julie's blog, Little Cotton Rabbits. Her things are so gorgeous and she has a free pattern for some mini-stockings which I can picture on my mantle.

So desperate was I to own one, that I had my mother show me how to cast on. I knit a square, which seemed OK ...

So I decided I needed to try a stocking. Unfortunately, my Mum had to go home before she could explain how to slip, knit 2 together, knit through the back, pick up stitches or anything else useful to know. So it was just me and some fairly dodgy Internet knitting tutorials.

I will show you if you promise not to laugh. Bear in mind that at 2pm yesterday, I could not knit, but I am now the proud owner of a too big, slightly holey, backwards in places mini stocking from the pattern. And no, you can't see the other side, because there is a really big hole there.

Am I a knitter now then?

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

Marks out of 10 for our holiday cottage: 10
Loads of washing done since we got back: 6
Postcards purchased but unsent: 3
Photos taken on holiday: 0

Yes, I took the camera and left the memory card in the card reader at home. Oops. I do wonder if this was subconscious sabotage on my part. I love looking back on photos that capture a certain time and place, but being the photographer bothers me. It is as if the camera forms a barrier between me and the activity in hand - I never feel as though I am truly participating when I am behind the lens. So I am sort of proud of our lack of pictures because we had a great time and really relaxed and enjoyed being in the moment.

But I do have a picture of our souvenir rocks. What? You don't bring rocks back as souvenirs? Weird.

Silent for a week

We're having a little holiday in Cornwall this week. I've taken the laptop, but in the interests of family harmony, I think I'm going to have my first official blog break. Well, that and the fact that we are in the middle of nowhere and the connection is slooow.

Feeling impulsive today, I registered for a teeny tiny swap on behalf of my teeny tinies, one of whom cries if I send away a softie he likes and moans when parcels arrive addressed to me. You have time to join in if you're quick. It seemed like a nice thing for us to put together to mark the fast approaching end-of-summer.

For me, one of the nicest elements of swaps is getting to know a new blogger. With the Vintage Button Swap, my partner Sarah was blog-less. I couldn't believe that situation would last long and it hasn't. Her new blog is up and running - she's fretting about finding her voice, but skip across to check out Sara with an h, because she sounds just fine to me.

And just about managing to squeeze in a bit of merchandise crafting for the Craft Fair before we head off on our holidays. A pinecone and nut wreath. Very weird trying to get the Christmas vibe in August and not the best picture in artificial light.

Actually, taking pictures in natural light is one of my biggest problems. Johnny has stopped his daytime nap, so I only really have time for crafty pursuits when he's in bed and with the days getting shorter, there's a distinct lack of natural light for photos. I thought I had solved the problem when I came across a tutorial for building your own light box. All I needed was a cardboard box. I stopped at Tesco to pick one up but there were none to be found. They are running a promotion, giving you 'green points' for not using their plastic bags and every box in the place had been swiped by points crazed OAPs. I kid you not, I was beaten to the last one in the shop by a bloke with a walking stick. Guess my David Bailey aspirations will have to go on hold for a while.

Dining room flash

Angela has asked for a flash of the dining room this week, so here's mine. We only really use it when there are more than just the four of us. Usually when it's just family, we tend to eat in the kitchen. I find that so much easier with the kids who always want a bit more of something or another drink or have a spill so I am up and down like a yo-yo.

It does make it a bit more special for everyone when we do eat in the dining room though. Mark in particular loves the whole candles, good glasses (not plastic) and table laying ritual.

Do you want to know a guilty secret now? I LOATHE eating with my children. I force myself to do it because I know it's good for them to see adults modelling table manners, eating different foods and making conversation. But really, in practice, what they see is me jumping up and down from the table, stretching over everyone to cut up their food and fielding bizarre questions like 'Mummy, how do the chickens make drumsticks? Is it like laying an egg?'.

Autumn approaching…

I think summer has gone - we were so cold on Sunday that we lit a fire and it was the perfect excuse to have a look at the book swap package that Sal sent me. She picked a really great selection and it's perfectly timed as we go on holiday on Thursday and I may well get the chance to catch up on some reading. Thanks Sal, and I promise to get a move on with your package.

It rained too for the first time in ages and so we have water in our waterbutt again. Rain plus access to extra water in the garden can only mean one thing for the boys - MUD. Yes, they've been having a lot of squelchy fun and I have had a lot of extra washing.

And the obvious evidence that autumn is just around the corner has meant that I can no longer kid myself about my first Craft Fair being ages away. October is creeping up fast and I have no stock. But I do now have a half completed banner for my stall. Hooray for progress!

Chestnut

Somewhat late in the week, here are my chestnut contributions for a year of color.




So sorry things have been quiet round here - life has been dominated by other stuff.
Do any of you know Philadelphia well?

New names

It's so exciting when I discover a new-to-me blog that I can add to my obscene bloglines list, but even better is finding a totally new blogger. Especially one who makes lovely things like Nutnbunny. We met through the kids cooking swap a while back when Tasha didn't have a blog, but she does now. She was asking for some advice as to how to get 'in the loop' so I thought I'd direct a few friendly natives her way.

Converting non-blogging swap partners is becoming a bit of a crusade. So Sarah (vintage button swap partner), c'mon in, the water's lovely. I cannot believe this girl is procrastinating about starting hers. She writes beautifully, judging from the e-mails we've exchanged and her taste and skill .... well just look at just some of the contents of my swap package from her. Thank you so much.

I think she's suffering from blog-title stage fright. Know the feeling well - I approached mine in true Management Consultant style, with a flipchart and brainstorming session with Andy and little Mark (who provided some very insightful truths, in the way only children can).

Failed to come up with anything much. Then 'domesticali' came to me on a long car journey as a tongue in cheek homage to Nigella Lawson, self styled domestic goddess. I love that she has made it hip to be a housewife - hate that word, much prefer domestic goddess. So, care to share how your blog came to be named?

Indie book goodness

I went into a new local bookshop today to pick up a little something to include in a parcel for a blog friend. Coincidentally, the owner happened to mention that the bookshop had a blog and so when I got home I had a little look. Only it turned into a long look. I can't be the only person who has had idle fantasies about opening their own bookshop, but these guys are actually in the middle of doing it. The shop has only been open a month and they are blogging the experience. Its fascinating stuff - go and take a look.

The shop itself, Mostly Books is charming, a lovely selection of stock and a little courtyard out the back where you can have coffee. Now I realize in the States, this is no big thing, but book buying in the UK has only relatively recently become such a civilized affair. I remember visiting an indie bookshop in San Francisco about 12 years ago and being totally blown away by the experience. Home baked banana bread, coffee, reading group meetings and wonderful personal reviews by the staff on many of the books.

I love a bargain as much as the next person and it is hard to resist the lure of Amazon et al, but when visiting a bookshop becomes a life enriching experience, surely it's worth a few extra quid on the price of a book. Typing in an ISBN just can't compete with a real chat about what you're looking at with another book enthusiast. I'm resolving to go back soon and buy more - there was a Nigella Lawson biography which caught my eye...

Eggie peggies

It's early morning and everyone else is sleeping. I love this time of day when it's all quiet and still. Soon the boys will be up and clamouring for eggs. It's a weekend breakfast tradition at our house - pancakes on one day, eggs on the other.

Down the road from us is Brook Farm where I try to buy all our eggs. You can see the chickens running about outside behind the barn and they sound so happy. Knowing our food is local and grown or raised with care is more important to me than buying something labelled organic at the supermarket. And these taste so much better too. Now the ony question is scrambled or boiled?

Flashing our living rooms

Angela and Beki have been flashing their living rooms and wanted others to join in, so here's mine. Until one drunken night at Eastertime this was our dining room. We had a furniture re-arrangement session at about 11pm under the guidance of my brother (who has always regretted not being an architect).

We seldom used the dining room, except as a place to fold laundry as we tend to eat in the kitchen when it's just us chickens. Now we have a long thin dining room with a TV watching area at one end and this room, which is our adult sitting room - no TV no toys (well, only temporary toy visits).

It's got lots of windows and plenty of light, but I have always felt that it lacks the personal touch. It feels very masculine too - I think maybe that's the leather furniture. I never really liked leather, but with two dribbly children I am a total convert. Our fabric sofas have been trashed, with the removable covers having been been washed so often that the piping is frayed. The leather looks like the day it was bought.

I love the colours of the curtains in here, but I don't like them with the wall colour. It is a lemony cream and I would far prefer a 'bone' type shade. Repainting this comes next on the DIY list I think.

We need to do something else with the lighting - a standard lamp I think, but I have been looking for 3 years for one that hubby and I both like with no success.

The bookshelf is actually the top of a dresser (the bottom is in the dining doom), but does the job of holding a selection of my cookbooks. I am ashamed of the display on top of it - it reflects laziness rather than taste and I resolve to change it sooner rather than later. The smaller cabinet often has fresh flowers on it, but I haven't any at the moment.

The pictures on the wall are 2 antique maps that my brother and sister-in-law gave us as a wedding present. I love them, but they date from when this was our dining room and I am not sure they are right in the living room. We don't have any other options at the moment though (I find buying art totally daunting).

So there's the truth of my living room - I would really love to hear your ideas on it - sort of like an interior design for free service.

Blue is the colour

Paula over at Momma Pajama has talked me into taking part in Happythings' Year of Color as exercise for the new camera. I looked for sky blue today. There was the sky (blue for sure), the swing (blue, but too bright) and the sprinkles on our cupcakes. Eureka!

The cupcakes got my very first 'cloud frosting' treatment today. Its basically a meringue mixture but you make it with hot sugar syrup instead of granulated sugar. Nice, but I don't think my egg whites were as stiff to begin with as they should have been because the frosting came out a bit too runny. Either that or I did not have the sugar syrup boiling for long enough to reach the correct temp. I must buy a sugar thermometer one of these days. Any advice from cloud frosting experts welcome - especially you Megan because we have the same cupcake cookbook I think.

Still, the consumer panel (Mark, Johnny and Hubby) weren't complaining, even if the sugar rush did leave at least one of them very bouncy.

Sixty second craft adventures

How quick could these be - some glass nugget thumb tacks for my pinboard. Not wildly inspired, but dreamt up, executed photographed and blogged in a single nap time. Got to seize your chances while you can!

Yes, photographed with the new baby. Depth of field - love it (nearly as much as my hot glue gun).

You really deserve it honey!

Look what hubby bought.

Usually I am Miss Conservative when it comes to spending money (particularly on 'boys toys' as they are termed in our house). But when Andy started talking about upgrading his SLR to a digital version my ears pricked up. Well, you did get a bonus .... you really do deserve to spoil yourself a bit ... (buy it, buy it now, I don't care if we can't pay the mortgage).

And so, it came - the D50. But I am in awe of it. I must study the manual. I am expecting truly great things...

Vintage button swap and Charlie and Lola

Sarah my vintage button swap partner look away now....

Got the package sent off today. I was really pleased, because Sarah (who is blogless at the moment) had kindly e-mailed me a run down of her likes and deep green was high on the list. I just happened to have in my stash this card of vintage lovelies. I am not entirely sure when they date from, but it's pre-decimalization (1971 in the UK) for sure. I just love the fact that they are on their original card, and even better, on the back of the card is a long sum, which must have been the shop totaling up this sewer's purchases (she bought a LOT).

I also had a go at making some of the button bouquet flowers I have seen floating around - they were a lot of fun. I won't show you the rest of the package in case Sarah was naughty and didn't look away, but I posted it off today so she shouldn't have long to wait.

And the boys have been having fun with this fabby Charlie and Lola colouring in book.

I love it for the fact that it engages their imaginations better than your average colouring book.

Maxine posted about giving her daughter Emily some tools to equip her to explore creatively. I know what she means, I just wish I had more ideas about how to do this for the boys.

Oasis for the summer

Given that Mark was away with his grandparents last week, today really marks the start of the summer holidays for me. We've got lots planned, friends to see, places to visit, but there will be precious little 'me time' around here for crafting or any other form of indulgence. I'm okay with that (so far anyway!) but I thought it would be nice to have a few little 'oasis of pleasure' spots around the house. This is the first.

I've been saving this indulgent hand soap for a while. Do you do that - hoard lovely things instead of enjoying them? Now at least when I change a nappy I can have 5 seconds of pleasure as I wash my hands, Think it will save my sanity? I'll let you know.

Ladybirds and elephants

Home again, with armfuls of spoils from our visit to my folks. Look at these luscious Ladybird books. They are very collectible now, but I just love them for the great little books they are, and when I see titles I think Mark or Johnny would like, I always pick them up. This time though, there are a couple for me too. Who knows, I may finally crack blanket stitch.

Not sure why I am bringing more books into the house - I'm on a mission to get rid of some usually. I had a dabble with bookcrossing, but got a bit frustrated at the number of releases that just disappeared into the ether. My latest plan to offload ones I am done with is Maxine's book swap - go and have a look if you're interested.

Johnny is happy to be home and looking forward to seeing his Daddy and brother tomorrow, but he did have a great time.

Sushi and salad people

No crafting going on this week, as I'm away from home, but it gives me the opportunity to do some overdue thank yous. Firstly to Momma Pajama, for the cute sushi purse she sent me. I told you I used to live in Japan didn't I? So it stands to reason that I love sushi and this little purse just makes me laugh. The writing says 'sushi' in hiragana (the one form of Japanese I could manage to read). Paula's blog has some wonderful illustrations - go and check it out.

And secondly to Tasha Hock, my partner in the kids cooking swap (who doesn't have a blog). She sent this Mollie Katzen cookbook for kids. It has a great layout, with a recipe written first for adults and then in simplified pictoral form for children to follow.

I first came across Mollie Katzen on holiday in California about 12 years ago. I bought a copy of the Moosewood cookbook - partly, I have to confess, because I was so enchanted by the layout and line drawings. But I've come to love some of the recipes too - the banana bread is still the best one I've come across yet.

I'm fairly American recipe literate (have cups!) but I still struggle with a stick of butter - does a stick weigh 4 ounces? Someone please weigh one and tell me once and for all. And while we're on the subject, corn syrup? Is this like golden syrup? runny honey?

The boy has gone

So, Mark at the tender age of 5 has gone to visit his grandparents for the week. He left us this note. I'll translate...

To Mum and Dad, I will have lots fun but miss you. Lots of love from Mark. Big hugs xxxxxxx

He's having a whale of a time and Daddy will go and pick him up on Friday. I am secretly very impressed at my independent boy.

I can remember having to be tearfully returned home from a sleepover aged about 7. It was all a bit too much when the mum gave me a dry toothbrush for my teeth (as opposed to one which was wet before the paste went on). Control freak? Me? Just a bit.

My in-laws live a 6 hour drive away, so there is no popping home for my boy. I'm glad he seems to be coping with the situation better than I did. In fact, I suspect Daddy may have to drag him reluctantly away at the end of his holiday.

Johnny keeps asking 'Where Mark?', but we've come away on a little trip of our own to see my folks, so that he's not pining for his brother at home. Andy has the rare treat of being at home sans children and is wielding a paintbrush (I hope) and catching up with a few overdue DIY jobs.